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As for the plot, it basically is a Chinese version of The Count of Monti Cristo transposed in Chinese empire. However, the story felt grander than the original French novel, and more than just a revenge tale. It is a story that goes beyond life and death, but setting the truth free. We are introduced to Mei Chang Su, a sickly man and part of the pugilistic world. He has established the Jiangzuo Alliance, a very powerful alliance with eyes and ears basically everywhere. Such power has given Mr. Su the title of Divine Talent. Two princes that are fighting for the throne sought after such talent. He was welcomed to the capital, but he had his own agenda. The two princes have been set against each other by the emperor. However such an act has corrupted the royal court, making the whole empire lose its strength. Mr. Su wants to remove both princes as contenders to the throne and bring forth the seventh prince, who's unfavoured by the emperor and looked down upon in the court. Mr.Su does so by studying the whole situation, going after each of the corrupt officials and brings their misdeeds to light. This is his way of removing corruption, and rebuilding the empire's strength.
That set the story forth as things start changing since the appearance of the mysterious Mei Chang Su. Soon enough, people start realizing that things are moving, and interest starts to increase in that mysterious figure. Little do they know he’s Lin Shu, survivor of the Chiyang army, and a victim of a tragedy from 12 years ago. The capital is full of people who benefitted from his tragedy, and those whose time has stopped since that time, unable to accept reality, but incapable of changing reality. Among them loyal friends join our protagonist in his quest to set things right.
Though the story is all about machinations, with smart villains, and smarter hero, what make this drama so special, addicting, memorable and endearing are the characters and relationships. Starting with Mei Chang Su, he’s a tragic character. The son of General Lin, and cousin to the princes, his world with filled with love, his potential was infinite and his dreams are big. Suddenly, all was stolen from him, even his face. He goes back home but it isn’t home anymore. As much as he denies himself the desire to go back to his previous self, he can’t help but show it in the most vital moments. Then there’s the 7th prince, Prince Jing. He’s very straight forward, to a fault, and never hides his feelings. What he thinks of the Chiyang army is no secret to all, making him unfavoured by his father, the emperor. He and Lin Shu grew up as brothers, and his feelings for Lin Shu haven’t changed. However he seemed to have inherited his doubtful side from his father. He has a hard time trusting Mei Chang Su since Mr. Su isn’t as straightforward as he’d like him to be, and he has a prejudice against strategist. I have to say seeing the relationship between these two develop is the most appealing in the drama, and the most carefully planned.
Then there is Princess Ni Huang, Lin Shu’s fiancé who can’t get her hand on what makes her trust Mr. Su this much. Princess Ni Huang is an army general, and the emperor wants to control her by finding her a husband from the capital. However she isn’t one to be controlled and will always get her way, and has a cute brother watching out for her. She is the weakness that makes Mei Chang Su go back to being Lin Shu, even for a moment. She is always the warmth he needs when things are too hard or too sad for him. Next is general Meng, the ever so loyal friend of Mei Changsu, and captain of the royal guards. He’s the strongest person in the capital, but not the smarted of the bunch. Even so he is one Mr. Su depends on most and when he takes charge, he kicks ass.
Other memorable characters are: the smart and warm Concubine Jing; the strong and childish puppy-like Fei Liu; the upright heartbreaking sweetheart Jing Rui; the sunshine Yu Jin; the kickass Xia Dong… the list goes on and on.
The opposing side doesn’t disappoint either. Many antagonists were interesting but most intriguing for me was Prince Yu. He’s very careful in what he does, and knows how to always make himself look in a favourable light in front of the emperor, making him favoured among the princes. However, there was always this emotional detachment he felt from his father, creating a void in him. Throughout the drama, with all his actions, being good or hateful ones, I felt he was always trying to fill this void. Another intriguing character, and maybe the most intriguing of all characters, is the emperor. My first impression of him is, that man is no fool. However everyone know he’s no fool, and of his doubtful nature, which became a tool used by our protagonists and enemies alike. He gives this fatherly figure impression, but that can change in a moment. He does care for his sons, but the power he has over the throne precedes all. He rather punishes innocents rather than let go of suspect. His conscience still haunts him because of past misdeeds, but he rather ignores it to protect his pride.
What brought those characters to life are talented actors and their on screen chemistry. Those favourite moments of mine when Hu Ge looses his composure, or veteran Ding Yong Dai playing such a complicated character like the emperor, who you both hate to love and love to hate.
Of course there is more to this drama than acting and characterization. The writing itself is fantastic. You got the tight plot, you got the character depth, and you got a great balance between all. Not a moment was wasted, as every arc got better than its predecessor. As for the direction, it was flawless for the most part. The story was fast paced, the action scenes were engaging, and overall the scenery was just gorgeous. The music is spot on, and the OST was beautifully fitting, written just for this drama. My only complaint in that area is the beginning, which was overwhelming with information. Especially to a newbie to cdramas like me, I’m getting to know the actors as well as the characters, and this drama doesn’t make it easy. Thankfully, by episode 4-5 things clear up and everything becomes easier to swallow. Another complaint would be when some characters disappear for a long period of time, and we miss them too much. However we’re usually too preoccupied with what is going on, so it’s not like we have the time to get bored.
The ending did not disappoint, and all brought together, with closure to all.
This drama is a perfect example portrayal of the possibility of what is means to run a kingdom through loyalty, love, strength, and wisdom. I’m usually a cynical person, but the experience we go through in this drama doesn’t leave any cynicism in me. I think it’s mostly the focus on love and loyalty between characters throughout the drama that eliminated any doubt in me.
Again beautiful drama and was worth every moment of my time. If you’re not sure yet do try the OST:
When the Wind Blows by Hu Ge
Loyal Blood Runs Forever Red by Wang Kai
Aging of a Beauty by Liu Tao
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The Glory
174 people found this review helpful
1This review may contain spoilers
Gripping, intense, a success all round
"The Glory" comes with a drum roll at the turn of the year 2022/23. With a high-end production team in every instance, "The Glory" cleverly intertwines the burning subject of bullying with the long-running topic ´revenge campaign´. The result is gripping, intense, a success all round. (However, one major criticism: Netflix cuts the story in half with a long break in between.)In 2022, for the sad issue of bullying, streaming services cleared the stage several times with their own productions (e.g. "Weak Hero Class 1" and "Revenge of Others"). All of these stories are unbelievable in their brutality and cruelty - teenagers against teenagers! No mercy. Without pity. Without scruples. Without any feeling of guilt. For once, I don't want to blame the streaming providers for the shown cruelty, on the contrary. Maybe the topic is in better hands with them because they have no problem with such radical scenes (compared to TV stations). Isn´t it simply scandalous that such unbelievable violent abuse - and may it be only half as drastic - is part of everyday life in (i.e. South Korean) schools and among young people? Even more scandalous: parents and teachers tolerate it or actively support it and even act up themselves.
"The Glory" swings back and forth between past and present and thus draws a complex picture of the individual characters. Back then the perpetrators, they are becoming victims today. Back then the victim, she finally wants to get out of her role and also make life hell for her abusers. The painful past provides the moral framework, allowing the audience to nod off the plans for vigilantism. Eventually, the protagonist also gains helpers on her way.
Sad enough, in "The Glory" no one is truly happy with their life except for the perpetrator's (still) innocent little daughter.
The bullies of that time live bored and/or stoned and still trapped in their bullying role. Still tangled up in their clique from back then in uneasy ties. None of them found ´true´ friends. Trust and love are words without substance in their life, which rather appears as a shiny variation of Hell disguised with silk and glamourous accessories.
The victim of that time, on the other hand, has found meaning, direction and grounding in her life, no matter how sad the circumstances. Coincidentally, she even made trustworthy friends. Since she has experienced firsthand what hell is like, she can at least distinguish it, as other experiences of brief moments of happiness are also indicated in between. This experience (how happiness actually feels compared to suffering) puts her ahead of her opponents, who aren't even aware that they're living in a hell of emotional emptiness. They only suspect it when Moon-Dong-eun threatens to shake their house of cards and they have to face the illusions of their self-satisfied lives.
The story isn´t completely told yet - after 8 episodes. We will see, how things actually turn out for Moon Dong-eun, as she is indeed messing with someone, who is not willing to give in, whatsoever...
---------- EDIT after finishing the SECOND SEASON: -------------------
Well. Second season is definitely on the revenge-side. Some may say revenge is sweet. In any case it is drastic. And "the Glory" made sure, the mean-spirited deserved it... Among them is so much violence and exorbitant abuse. Almost too much to bear at times. A bit overdone maybe with unnecessary Netflix ruction here and there. Nevertheless suspenseful. Certainly with a coherent ending.
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PS.:
Actually, the screenwriter is herself mother of a high school student...)
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SIDE NOTE: ---- Fiction and reality are not that far apart ---
Some might say that the bullying brutality in "The Glory" - such as the curling wand scene - was exaggerated.
In fact, in South Korea in 2006, there was just such a case.
At a middle school in Cheongju, a student was bullied for money by three classmates. For not delivering, she was beaten with a baseball bat, tormented with a barrette, kicked, hit with fists, and burned on her arms with a hot curling wand. The burns didn't even have time to heal because the girls checked the temperature of the curling iron on the victim's arms again and again every few days. On the contrary, healing blisters were specifically removed by the bullies with their fingernails. The brutal beating also resulted in an injury to the tailbone, which resulted in a six-week hospital stay.
In fact, in this actual case in Cheongju, the perpetrators were apparently officially punished after the victim, despite threats, reported the perpetrators by name. And not only the perpetrators, but also the school administration and teachers were apparently sort of admonished. (However, with that the police report ends. We do not know how the victim, the perpetrators and the school dealt with each other afterwards).
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This review may contain spoilers
Y'all about to be real mad, but it must be said
This review will be long so grab some tea if you will because tea's about to be spilled here.Heads up first: I did a mini post on this drama before it aired about what I was expecting so if you want to check that out just click on my profile then go to feed.
Disclaimer: Everything said here is my own PERSONAL OPINION. This review is not meant to hurt anyone. I have also not read the novel so I have no prior context to the drama.
P.S If you just want a summary of the drama just skip down to the Rewatch value section.
Plot/Story: 3.0
The plot of this drama could've been so much better if the scriptwriter actually focused on the plot and not so much on the talking/conversations that's so repetitive over and over again. Most of this drama is just people having conversations. In short, it's a speech driven drama, too much talking and not enough action. It would've been a bit more interesting if the solutions to the problems were a bit more complex. Also, everything was just really obvious. There's barely any mystery which makes the story so bland. The drama pace is slow and the tone throughout the whole drama is just shallow as in there's not enough dynamics. The characters developments could've been done so much better too. Also, too many unnecessary deaths, why introduce new characters when they going to die within 5 episodes?
Acting/Cast: 7.5
Y'all about to be real mad but it must be said: Yukee Chen does not give the presence of a main lead. That being said her acting was okay as CXZ. To be honest I wasn't really expecting much from Yukee Chen because a lot of her roles seem to be type casted to me. Not to be rude, but I hope she takes a break and take time to explore more roles. When I was watching the drama I felt that CXZ could've have a different facial expression or something during some scenes which just goes to show that Yukee could've explore more with her character. For example, a lot of the time when she's having conversation (not with the SGT personally) she either has a blank space out look or her eyebrows are crunch. She's supposed to go from naive to a strong female lead but how come I don't see that? Barely anything changed about her. Honestly, I was shocked when SGT died and she tried to revenge SGT by trying to kill Yuwen Muyuan. Like girl....what happened to the mature think before acting girl you were? Maybe I can't blame her acting too much because of the way the script is written but I would give her acting a 5.5/10.
Leo Luo is really good at this role too bad the other actors are good too so I can't say that he carried this drama (*inserts* crying face emoji). Honestly, everything I watch his drama he brings something new to the plate. I like his way of flirting, it's the scholar type of flirting and not the hooligan type (although it would've been interesting). I wished they would've add scenes of him flirting with other girls so that his role as a flirty playboy is more believable because it's really not believable seeing how barely any girl approaches him besides FZ. I know that he's supposed to have a bad reputation and whatever but his role is literally flirty playboy who makes women fall for him. Even if he has a (fake) history with FZ he should still be an attractive flirty playboy. The scriptwriters made SGT so weak which I really dislike. His brains are also meh. Can't deny Leo Luo has a pretty smile and can really act heartbroken. SGT has more chemistry with his father and Leo's acting proves it. He has more chemistry with SGX than CXZ. That is the tea. When he was conversing with his father before the execution and they cried and yelled at each other. That was my favorite scene. So much emotions there. His acting: 9/10.
I think the rest of the cast did really well in executing their roles.
Yuwen MuYuan, his acting is good, but not much facial expressions for his role. I'm disappointed because he has so many scenes but his character is not written off as an expressive person so he's basically almost the same in every scene. I expected more, but came to be disappointed. But I do see more of his acting when he's acting with other people in the scene or with himself or others when CXZ is not in the scene. His acting 7/10.
FZ wasn't that annoying to me and I understand her point of view. She was naive and loved too much, but she redeemed herself by knowing what's right and wrong later. She's not evil either. Y'all get mad at FZ for being naive but only annoyed when CXZ's naive doesn't seem right. At least she tries to fix her problems by acting instead of avoiding and not communicating. The actress that plays FZ graduated from Shanghai Theatre Academy no wonder her acting is good. I hope to see more from her. Her acting 7.5/10.
TBH I really liked QM's character because he's open. He knows what he wants and his rights and wrongs. I think he really did this role justice. His character is a bit of a coward tho. Overall not bad from the actor. 8.5/10.
All the dads acting are good, but CXZ's father maybe a bit overacted. SGT's father definitely delivered more to the plate tho. Acting: 8.3/10.
Lord Lu, he legit gave me Ning Yi's vibe sometimes from Rise of Phoenixes. His eyes looks cunning whenever he has a plan. He doesn't overact when his character is angry which I think it good, but I think him at the end was a bit dramatic in front of SGZ grave (but I guess it's because he's still angry at what happened to SGZ). His acting: 7.5/10
I can go through every character but I'll stop here.
Music/BGM: 6.0
The BGM for the first 24 episodes were so bad. The first 10 was the worst. Random music was just being played here and there. This rating would've been higher if it isn't because of the BGM at the beginning of the drama series. I LOVE the OSTs. I hate that in CDramas the music is released as the drama airs, so the reason why some of the songs weren't used in the beginning episodes is because the songs are not released yet and used in the drama. Ratings would've been higher if not for the bad BGM.
Rewatch Value:2/10
What I meant by rewatch is I'll just watch what's on the MV of the OSTs. I could watch the first 3 episodes and the last three episodes without the episodes in-between and still know what's going on. There's nothing that makes this drama stand out/unique/important messages enough for me to rewatch. The costumes and setting are good along with the hairstyles. The props does look a bit fake like some of the peach or whatever flower trees and the weapons. The fighting scenes are good but nothing too impressive. I wished the characters timing for a certain outfit was more thought-out. I like that they reused outfits, but please don't do that when the characters are at different stages of life because it confuses me. For example, you're telling me that CXZ still fits in the outfit that was made for her 17 year old self and she still wears it/fits her after 2 years? They shouldn't have changed her outfits so frequently then. Maybe it's only me that's bothered by it. Also the ending wasn't rushed but the last few minutes of the last episode was rushed. Their wedding was basically 5 minutes long, and to be honest they're not even officially married because they didn't do it the proper way and the drama just decides to end there. Um...okay then.
If I were to sum up the drama in long story short it would go like this:
He saves her.
They talk.
He saves her again.
She searches for him because he's a man that pops here and there and everywhere.
They flirt again.
He helps her with her problems.
They separate.
She almost died from an assassination attempt/ falls off a cliff.
Surprise, she's not dead.
He searches for her.
he saves her again.
They flirt.
She confesses.
He's insecure and conflicted about his life and feelings so he rejects her.
She heartbroken and they leave each other for a year.
Met again and starts flirting again.
This time he wants a relationship with her cuz he's finally over with his conflicted emotions/self.
They confess and starts their relationship.
Second FL comes in and drops a bomb that she and he slept together.
Main girl misunderstands even when main lead said it was not the truth.
She doesn't believe him when he believed everything to her. Oof.
They don't make up for a long time.
When they do, he dies the next second, but SIKE this is a CDrama and people never dies falling off a cliff (that is if they MLs tho).
He comes back with a different identity, but uh...he legit still looks the same and even carries the most obvious thing that identifies him. His fan, smh.
She founds out its him and got him to reveal himself after she tries to jump off the same cliff he fell off. Note: That's not healthy and never attempt suicide.
Now it's her time to die.
He tries to save her.
Blah Blah Blah
Surprise, she's not dying.
They join hands together.
They get marry, but not actually married because they didn't do the proper wedding tradition which is the bows at the proper time (which I always assume is noon sharp).
The end.
I went on for too long, but I hope this review helped you. If you read to this far, you must have a lot of patience. Thanks for reading my review.
Overall: 4.5/10
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The novel is so much more convincing when it comes to the main relationship, the Beloved Enemies because in it Gu Qing Pei is actually gay and is extremely attractive to other gay men that surround him (His foxy cunning is so alluring). Yuan Yang is young and brash and initially has non consensual sex with GQP, but the passion in their relationship gradually is very convincing. But that is the novel.
This Drama is a separate beast altogether. Though the main relationship remains explosive with unresolved sexual tension that is very palpable, in absence of actual sex a real mentor and pupil relationship comes to a forefront and the progression of said relationship is very realistic. As a rule the story deals with two very different and lonely people who have no one they can trust, as they are thrust into a situation they both don't want while being chained by their temperaments and positions., And the show does very well with the options it got. I mean, I would watch it for the suiting (costumes) and visuals alone, but it also has an intriguing plot and some good arcs and a great eye-candy cast. So kudos to this. I know it's futile, but I hope that one day we will get a proper BL adaptation of this too... *sigh*
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a must watch series
Overall: this series is unique and beautiful and I hope to see the leads again soon. 10 episodes about 35 minutes each, aired on Viki (cut movie was in theaters in South Korea)Content Warnings: see my comment with a spoiler
What I Liked
- chemistry and tension
- sweet moments
- how Ji Hyun is inexperienced/timid but goes after what he wants/takes risks/stands up for himself
- supportive people: Ji Hyun's roommate (who is oddly not listed on the MDL page), Ae Ri, the restaurant owner, Yoon Won & the therapist
- production style/value
- that we actually see therapy (gone to voluntarily) and medication however, it still felt like a fictional "love cures all" by the end
- characters discussing how respect is earned not deserved due to age (which is only 3 years difference anyway...)
- that the co-writers/co-directors were trying to solve copyright issues with social media posts promoting the series
Room For Improvement
- I wish they had lit the actors' faces a little bit more during the night scenes, sometimes it was so dark that I couldn't see what was happening
- I believe they purposefully went for a choppy vibe but it came across as jarring instead of artistic, one example is the beginning of episode 3 did not pick up where episode 2 left off, they should have re-shown a few seconds of episode 2's ending and then gone from there
- unless it was a translation error misleading the audience for half of episode 7 was not needed and felt like a betrayal instead of a neat plot twist
- Eun Ji was a cliched evil ex character who was not needed at all, they could have cut that character and that other dude and then spent more screentime in other areas
- not everyone deserved a character redemption, sometimes a person does something so bad that no apology can absolve them and they lose friends, two characters should have had this happen to them instead of the happy/ish endings they received
- we actually never got the entire story with Jae Won
- odd things, a bar owner can't speak Korean in Seoul? there wasn't a swim test? odd conversation in ep 3 about kissing and consent (you don't have to ask but it's nice/a good idea to get verbal or non-verbal consent), Ji Hyun says he'll stop prying or leave Jae Won alone but then doesn't do that, the joke about Halloween/Itaewon was in poor taste as was people laughing at the guy cross dressing
- that the production crew still does not have an official release for SE Asia 3 weeks, and that those in South Korea only had access to an apparently a very choppy movie
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"Together we shared a bond not even death would violate."
This is a review from someone who's new into Cdramas, so my writings will solely be on the drama and nothing about any previous experience or comparison. It might divert a lil to a Kdrama taste bcs I am an avid fan but I shall try my best to stay on line."THE BOND (乔家的儿女)" is my 2nd Cdrama after "You Are My Glory", not that I got into Cdramas bcs of it, it was due to peer pressure, haha. So I decided to watch Cdramas once in 2 months since my plate is already full with plenty of pending Kdramas and movies. But I can't express my heartening feelings to announce that this drama has become one of the best things I have ever encountered; I must mention, it's now my most favourite 'slice of life' drama, next to Reply 1988.
Basically, "The Bond" is a story about 5 siblings and their growing relationship, not just of a particular span of time but over years; from their early childhood to their middle-aged selfs. There is no specific plot, rather portrayal of day-to-day happenings, thereby justifying the slice-of-life genre. What you prevalently get to experience throughout are: complex characters, individual growths, stupendous character developments and bewildering outgrowths in the relationships. What you get to witness along side? That's the simultaneous change happening to the rapidly developing China, it's effect on the society values, lifestyles, economy and culture; all these through the characters of the show. The timeline of the drama is 1977 to 2005 with multiple leaps.
I bet you've not seen such sibling relationship anywhere else, bcs it's never been made or represented like this. The portrayal of siblings' love & care and the urge to remain together as a family, even when you are constantly ageing, is very surreal in the drama. The extent of transparent reality and every check made to counterattack or even embrace it, felt so very actual, you might desire to acquire such a scenario in your grasp and paint your own life with it. Things happen in the ways, you least expect to and the consequences are also a combinations of various possibilities.
From my last line, I also want to mention how most of the characters here are extremely flawed and their transformation that felt out of sudden is another aspect of realism. Some of us might better ourselves gradually but some others also change in a short span of time. This drama provides you the scope to just experience the reality, instead of judging what's good & bad, or right & wrong, because this is how things and people are, in real. It's the situation that makes us decide our paths or choose our destiny but nevertheless, we are responsible for our own actions. It's obvious for us, as viewers, to get annoyed, frustrated, irritared and angry on some characters or sequences of events during the course of watching, but it's a proof how the drama have been able to accurately deliver the mood and the underlying messages.
The overal development throughout the 36 episode is very nice and each episode is full of substances that evokes all kinda emotions. My first impression from its 1st episode was not so great, I simply thought that the portrayals here might be emotional yet underwhelming. But to my surprise, I was hit with so many raw emotions elicited by almost all of the characters, I had no way to run away and I just held onto the drama very closely. I thought and expected the entire 36 episodes will be all about what the synopsis over here says but when the scenario changed outta nowhere, I was again in doubt but then I came to realize that this is a coming of age story.
Obviously, I had to fall for the most major character, Qiao Yi Cheng, the eldest brother. His character was the best I swear and I want to give emphasis on him in my review. You'll see almost no development in him but that's how he had been all along since childhood. His mother's sudden demise made him the person he didn't expect to become. The way he took care of his 3 younger siblings and managed the entire family for a long time, is totally commendable. Even after marriage and moving out, he was there to back his family as if his life depends on it. He had to raise kids from such a lil age that he couldn't cry or care for his own but his dedication really made me cry at times. Not normalising purely selfless care bcs he had to go through many obstacles too while dealing with things both within and outside of his family plus doing the best in his profession despite. He was the thread to which the entire family was connected and relied to hang onto in case of difficulties. Whenever something was up the other siblings as well as their father looked for him first and he never failed to be there with them. All these things accumulates so much emotions in your heart, you won't be able to help but cry at times. The only time I was angry with him was his decision to marry the girl........ Well.
2nd brother Er Qiang is my 2nd most favourite. Loved how he was always honest with himself and was courageous enough to fight the world for the ones he truly love and care for. He was slow-witted to take a gasp of the situation, yet clever enough to figure out what to do. First daughter, San Li was also the best female character in the drama who was well-behaved and always true to her decisions. 2nd daughter Simei, well hahahaha, she made me take paracetamol twice in row. Yes, I was that frustrated bcs of her behaviours. Not that she was bad but she didn't have the sense of right & wrong and always made choices that went wary for her ruining her life to extents. She was so stubborn that she barely learnt from her own mistakes. The youngest son, Qiqi was a fool but got a character development. I am a bit disappointed that he got very less screentime though he's one of the main characters. Qiao Zu Wang, the father of the family will be one of your least fav character for sure. He and his behaviours made me angry throughout nevertheless, he was a great source of light comedy in the drama.
Among the minor characters, Yiding (Sanli's husband) is my most favourite. They're the best couple in the show and their love for each other is truly heart touching. Qi Wei Min (Eldest cousin of Qiao's) is someone who cared for everyone a lot and secretly wished for everyone's well-being, in fact he favoured Simei and Qiqi the most. The aunt Wei Shu Fang was a good-hearted lady. Ma Su Qin (Erqiang's master) is one of the strongest characters. The Qiao's neighbor, Aunt Wu was one heck of a funny lady.
The final set of couples.... Well... I won't but as I have already mentioned, Sanli & Yiding shared the best relationship among all. What I can tell you is that this drama is not romance oriented even though there are a lot of couple. Of course there is love and growths in relationships but the romance is very subtle which is very apt. Things used to be like this back then in Asian countries and somehow still happens; I mean the period of dating is very less, they just meet and if there is mutual liking, they decide to marry each other in a short span of time. The divorce rates in old china was also high. You'll see these things clearly in this drama.
The dynamic of the characters and their shaping throughout the story has been very well drawn by the writer. The director seems to have a lot of experience that's been incorporated into the execution of the drama. The actors are very very good though I barely know them I loved. The seemingly simple characters might create an impression that the roles don't need much acting skills but my dear friend, even such simple characters with complex dynamics are not easy to play. Not just the final set of adult actors, but also the 2 different sets of child actors did a phenomenal job in playing their respective characters; the emotions they evoked through their expressions will legit make you cry. Also, the actor playing Qiao Zu wang, the father, is another character who did well in acting. His ways of talking throughout the drama via different stages of life, felt like a journey tho he's not a likable character.
What else I also loved is their realistic setups that actually showcased the life and lifestyle from mid to late 20th century that included exploding population, housing problems, poverty, healthcare as well education systems, technology, etc. Various relationships and the way they developed and their way of survival couldn't be more real. I was actually mad with how quick they were deciding to get married but that's how it happened back then and those were also the issues in married life back then.
I always think that being realistic and being real are 2 different thing and The Bond has proved that for me. It was not a drama with a steady plot accompanied by realistic screenplay, rather a drama which was very real that it almost feels like your own life, no matter your circumstances. They kept things simple and natural so that the audience could read and interprete the scenarios, even for the subtle and subverted expressions.
The OSTs are all my favourite. Even while writing this review I am listening to them TT. Ever since starting the drama, I turn the album on as soon as I wake up and they're often on loop. There are total 4 songs among which one has 2 versions with 2 different singers. I loved the way these OSTs are utilised at apt times as required to showcase various emotions.
# Life Should Always Be Bright (生活總該迎著光亮)" by Zhou Shen is soft heart touching song that explains the price of bonds between people and how it essentially helps us grow as persons.
# "Flash (燈筒: Deng Tong)" by Jin Zhiwen is one's urge to escape from all the sufferings. It's very soulful and melancholic.
# "Wild Bird (野鸟) composed by Wang Zihe is an energizing and motivating song and has 2 versions sung by 2 different singers: one by Wang Zihe herself and another by Jin Runji; in different ways actually.
# Space (留白) by Juno Su is like understanding the essence of life, love and living through a softcore melodious track and the vocals are just wowww.
Apart from the havoc caused by Simei what disappointed me is how they rushed the ending a bit. There's no plot or whatsoever they were trying to wrap up but since it's a slice of life drama, one or two more episodes wouldn't have harmed, rather made us happy. It felt like extra scenes were cut off from the last 2 episodes in order to make it a 36 episode drama but anyways It's just me who desperately wished for more. Notably, the last 6 episodes (31-36) becomes heavy and emotional from all terms and there are several peak moments in there which made me cry.
'The Bond' that was created since birth, strived to be stronger on their mother's demise, and was further nourished over years of love, care and affection upon the foundation established by the big brother and to finally find happiness at the end of the life. The Bond is indeed a story about the Qiao family that managed to survive the odds of their life, stayed as one and even thrived till the end, everything together.
Overally, this drama is for everyone and definitely a must watch slice of life. And I'm sure you'll remember this for a long lomg time. Again at the end, I just wanna express my utter happiness for deciding to watch the drama, that too at a perfect time and I am grateful to everyone who have made this possible. Thank you so much!
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You'll probably hate it, but then you'll love it!
The show itself is based on an existing Thai novel of the same name that has been, to an extent, successfully adapted for TV. Like the summary suggests, the story starts with love and affection, slowly turns into obsession. and hate BUT that is only the first 4-5 episodes. I know, a lot of the viewers would be straight up frustrated with Paeng (our FL) and would probably wish to drop it. But I implore you to atleast reach till episode 6 before you make a decision. It really does get better. There's a reason for everything and once everything is out in the open, everything will make so much more sense. That's way too many everything's in one line lolThe Story ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
It is not your typical hate turns to love story. It has two people with their own emotional baggage, trying to navigate this world, one day at a time. And it's equal parts beautiful and frustrating to watch as these two absolutely lovable but dense dodo's go about trying to figure out their feelings for each other. The FL has actual reasons behind her actions and is not just a spoiled brat. I'll not say much so as not to give away. But the summary is mostly for the first few episodes. There's so much more to it and it's all worth the watch.
The Characters ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
There so much to unwrap, especially with Paeng. A scared and lost teenager is dropped into a completely unfamiliar environment. She has a lot of emotional baggage of her own and the people around her don't help much to elevate it. She then goes through a beautiful journey in which we see her love to the point of obsession, fall from grace but then she picks up the pieces of her life and slowly rebuilds them back again and comes out stronger. The character development of Paeng is very much visible and you go from hating to loving the girl. And please, believe in our girl! She makes some very sketchy choices that might raise you heckles but power through! It really all works out in the end. Plus, Kao has done a beautiful job in bringing out the intricacies of Paeng too.
I absolutely love to hate Arthit (our ML). Watching his character's development is like watching Sisyphus, he would constantly climb uphill only to then roll back down and start all over again. But Mark Prin manages to make us fall in love with him anyways. His eyes speak. Like literally. He wouldn't need to say a word and you'll know exactly what he's trying to say. And for once, the ML has an actual, legit reason to hate the FL and not some arbitrary 'I don't like her so I'll bully her' kind of thing. And he does redeem himself and falls head over heels (who saw that coming lol). And then we all turn into mush hehe. If you're a fan then you're in for a treat!
We also have our secondary couple in Non and Ling. They're the epitome of cute and you can see their longing for each other, especially Non. They have their own cute story and it makes you wanna cheer them on when they do finally get together. Together with Kot, they form the formidable F3 who are probably the biggest shipper of Arthit and Paeng after us lot hehe.
Like every Thai lakorn, we have our own fair share of snakes and anaconda's (the big bad villain) and they'll probably make your blood boil everytime they appear on screen. But the actors have done a really good job, especially the actor playing Mark (Yes, the big villain is called Mark, not to be confused with Mark the Prin who plays Arthit). His slimey smile, obsessive gaze and grabby hands will make you want to physically shoo him away from Paeng. But have patience for he'll eventually meet his end. Snake mom (ML's mother) is also included in the ranks and all I can say is, will someone ship her to Amazon already?
The Chemistry ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
There's chemistry not just between the main characters but also with the MC's and the cast. Mark and Kao get together like a house on fire. There are scenes when they don't even have lines and we still understand and feel what they're feeling. Ling, Non and Kot's F3 gang gel so well with those two. It's like friends of years getting together, helping their buddy with getting the girl and on the way, making him aware and calling him out on his behavior too. I like that despite everything in the past, the gang seamlessly includes Paeng into their group and never make her feel unwelcome.
The Music ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
Yes to the yes! The OST is amazing and it really matches the characters and their development through out the story. Please, please do have a listen! I never skipped either of the credits because of it. Also, the BGM is love. Like seriously. I was always ready with Shazam hehe. Thai lakorn's usually have high quality music, but this is next level.
Rewatch Value ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
It'll probably take you a few viewings before you can get over it. Also, RIP rewind button. Just saying ^^
Final Thoughts ¯\_(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)_/¯
I, for one, watched it as it was being broadcasted. So I had some really lovely people here at MDL to keep me company. By the time the drama would've finished airing, we'd probably have 10k comments. (EDIT: We do lol) Most of them are just us lot fangirling. But you know what? This is the power of My Forever Sunshine. You'll curse these characters to high heaven but then the very next episode you'll be cheering them on. Some episodes might make you want to pull your hair out, but that's what the skip button is for. All I can say is, use it wisely. At times, you'll really need it. It's a well crafted story (mostly) that comes with some usual lakorn hijinks and should definitely not be missed.
PS: The comment section is riddled with spoilers. So read at you own risk ^^
PPS: Re-reading the review, I feel like the tagline of the lakorn should be "Persevere, because it gets better, eventually" lol.
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love like a storm
A masterful portrayal of the maladies of fledgling teenage love. Confused emotions from failing to separate friendship and romantic attraction, longing , pain from unrequited feelings, utter joy from being together, jealousy and the desire to possess; love is like a storm sweeping through the mind, enmeshing all the emotions. A teenage love is indeed special. Unlike the managed emotions of an adult who has learned to protect oneself , it is desperate and total. Such intricacies are rarely portrayed in dramas, more so in gay-themed dramas which unfortunately have a general lower quality. A must watch for all lgbt fans.From a general reading of the comment section, people please remember they are not experienced in love and cut Teh some slack . On one hand , he wants to do right by his friends, but the bitterness of unreciprocated feeling takes over making him manipulative and hurtful to others. Only when you grow up, you gradually learn to exercise restraint. So don't be to quick to judge him by adult standards
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MUST WATCH
The best drama during October that I watched.The storyline keeps the audience from getting bored, and makes them curious to watch the next episode. Emotions that fluctuate, do not make this drama seem excessive, instead it makes the story more interesting. The actors are very good at playing the characters in this drama. Makes us feel the emotions of each character as if we really are in their position as characters in this drama. Even the music supports all the scenes at every moment in this drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
It was fine but the feels isn't the same
It was really difficult to talk about this season because isn't bad. What I thought abt this S2 is that the same things that was good was bad for me as well. The good things: we could see a development of Nanno's personality and the gore and cinematography in some episodes were better than S1. Yuri's connection with Nanno gave a "fresh air" to the series too because we never thought abt the legacy of Nanno's power and the possibiliy with someone replacing her in the future. But this good things also have a bad side for me as well and I'll explain more abt it below.What I liked abt Girl From Nowhere was how Nanno was unique and powerful, her character was the ONLY ONE like that in the season. The messages behind each episode were really good too and I remember finishing an episode with a "OMG THAT WAS AMAZING" feeling but this season I didn't have the same feeling. The stories in each episode here wasn't that strong as S1 and I think it's due to as the writers wanted to introduce a new character, the purpose of S2 wasn't passing messages throught the episodes, it was only about schoking visually more the viewers and introducing the new character. It was like a "bridge" season to connect what we already saw from Nanno in S1 with a new "nanno" in S2 that may follow her footsteps and replace her. This new perspective can be good as I said up there but the problem is in Yuri's character. Her story with Nanno is what it is interesting, not her character. For me, besides having different thoughts abt revenge her character is really boring and it's like a worse version of Nanno. I understand the perspective of wanting to create a "nanno sequence" and create more people to "continue her journey" but as Yuri isn't an interesting character I ended up not enjoying her introduction that much. I think I would prefer they working together than being enemies. The thought of having a new season focused on Yuri really worries me too lol
As the writers choose to focus more on this "new nannos" this season can also be less impacting for u If u expected something more similar to S1 (like I did) of If u wanted episodes with good messages behind. Ofc we had some good episodes in S2 but the stories in each episode wasnt strong as S1 and the messages in some episodes seemed similar to S1 as well. Because of that, we already know more or less what to expect and this give a "well it was fine i guess" feeling. We had some good episodes with some plot twists too but in general, the portray of the messages wasn't that great as S1 so this can be a disappointing thing for you, keep that in mind.
Like I said, everything in this season have two sides, it will depends on you If u like this two parts or not, it's really about what you want as a viewer. Therefore, I think that If u liked S1 and If u like Nanno you should watch S2. Just don't expect too much If u liked S1 because it can't be a little dissapointed for you like it was for me. Or not.
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After finally being pushed to her limit, and after more than one failed suicide attempt, she does the last thing she feels she can do to live a happy life. The story following the surgery is about her journey to accepting her new self while not completely forgetting her old self.
Acting/Cast: I loved the acting and the cast.
Kim Ah Joong did an amazing job of portraying an overweight person, and an amazing job of portraying the skinny person she becomes. In most shows/movies like that, the girl is instantly 500% more confident, while Kim Ah Joong still had to get used to people not gawking at her for being the "ugly, fat chick." Even little things, like learning to walk in heels, were a joy to watch.
I'm still unsure about Joo Jin Mo's character. He seemed to have two different opinions depending on who he was with, so I wasn't really sure what think about him. I suppose, if I ignore the fact that his character confused me, I can easily say his acting was amazing.
Music: Loved the music throughout the movie.
Rewatch Value: I could definitely see myself rewatching this movie often. Definitely. The last 10 minutes or so of the movie (mostly the speech in particular) had me bawling. Just full-on bawling.
Overall: Overall, even though I loved the movie, I had to give it an 8.
While the character herself makes it known that the surgery is for herself, and not for anybody else, it doesn't erase the fact that, ultimately, this was a movie about a person who's life becomes better only after becoming pretty in society's eye. It's just not the type of message I enjoy seeing in the media.
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I can't think of one bad actor in this cast. Jung Woo Sung, as Yang Kang Chil, was intense, and very moving. Han Ji Min, as cool/controlled Jung Ji Nah, was his perfect counterpart. Their relationship had all the familiar elements (opposites attracting, destined path crossings, and family disapproval...) but without simply relying on clichés. My only small criticism is that they had some of the worst onscreen kisses I've ever seen, though the rest of their romantic moments more than make up for it. It could be argued that their awkwardness fit the story, but I just found it distracting. Their romance was portrayed as much deeper than a few cute moments, so I do have to give them a lot of credit for that.
Of the exceptional supporting cast, I have 3 favorites. Na Moon Hee, as the mother, was a really great character, and expertly played. Choi Tae Joon, as the son, was the only character that made me actually cry. Kim Bum, as the charming yet odd Lee Gook Soo, was my absolute favorite. His character's journey was so awesomely unexpected, and he did an amazing job with it.
As I mentioned earlier, this is a tearjerker, but there are plenty of funny, sweet, intriguing, and inspiring moments too. Some aspects of the story are left open ended, but that didn't bother me at all. I thought the end episode was beautifully done, and gave me all the closure I needed. I can't agree that this drama is perfect, but It is certainly better than most, and not to be missed.
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Joo Won is a great actor. His portrayal of genius, autistic Park Shi On is really well done. I don't think that is an easy part for anyone. I have seen almost all of Moon Chae Won's dramas and I find her acting to be believable. She didn't fail to be believable as Dr. Cha. I was really ticked at her at some points in this drama and I think that is due to her great acting abilities. The other actors were also good in this including Joo Sang Wook and Kim Young Kang. I adore Ko Chang Seok as an actor. He is really good in all the dramas that I have seen him in. It was cute to see a cameo of Park Ki Woong in the last episode. Joo Won and he must be really good friends. Too cute.
The music is good and appropriate.
I might rewatch this in the future.
If you like an underdog story, then you can't beat this drama. I highly recommend it to everyone.
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The story is about comic book characters becoming self-aware, so right off the bat it reminded me of Extraordinary You and W: Two Worlds, but it still manages to be original. This drama occasionally pokes fun at C-drama cliches and never takes itself too seriously. In fact, the drama is an altered adaptation (kind of like a parody) of a very corny romance novel that actually exists in real life.
Story follows our FL who is a self-aware comic book actress. She has a lot of experience playing the female antagonist in different comics, and since she retains the memories of each comic, her actual personality is cunning, smart and anti-heroish. (Seldom do we see smart female leads in these kinds of Asian dramas, so this point alone is enough for this drama to score high!) She is tasked to play an antagonist again in a new comic, but when she is thrown into that world, a system error occurs and she ends up become the female lead instead, all the while retaining her self-awareness and villainous personality. Due to the mishap, the male lead (I denote him as OG-ML) which she is supposed to romance with is temporarily incapacitated, and she crosses paths with the male antagonist (ML in this drama) instead. Since both FL and ML have villainous personalities, they start playing 4-dimensional chess with each other and always correctly guess each other's intentions. Not only do they have chemistry, they're pretty much the same kind of person, like a match made in heaven. I really enjoyed their interactions. Feelings of love happen early on but naturally, unlike many dramas with rushed and half-baked romance lines. They even came up with a good excuse to add kissing scenes that can be explained by the plot.
In the later half of the drama is where the suspense kicks in and it kept me at the edge of my seat after every episode. I really could not predict what would happen next with all the plot twists. The drama ticks all the right boxes. And even though it's short, it never felt rushed or shallow. It probably told a better story than a lot of full length dramas.
I recommend this drama to anyone who likes fantasy romance. There's literally no reason not to try this - it's short so even if you end up not enjoying it, it's not a huge waste of time.
Positives:
- We get to see romance between two villainous characters, which is very uncommon
- We have a smart and cunning FL who can defend herself
- Plot makes fun of drama cliches (even FL points out how cheesy some of the plot is)
- Unpredictable twists and turns, engaging from start to finish
- Liu Xie Ning's acting really stands out
Negatives:
- Why in the world is this drama so short, when some way shxxier dramas get 30+ episodes?
- Characters are paper-thin, they have no backstory except the several lines of description given to them by the comic
- Certain plot points make no sense at all, such as the knife stabbing scenes in the drama
- The logic of the comic world is unclear and inconsistent, causing problems to arise and get resolved out of the blue without a convincing explanation. This is one of those dramas that are not to be taken too seriously.
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